Overheated outlet causes electrical fire at Simmonsville Road home Thursday evening

A residence on Simmonsville Road caught fire Thursday evening leaving the home, which was also used as a daycare with significant damage.

Electrical malfunction was the likey cause , according to the Bluffton Township Fire District. Fire investigators determined the fire likely started from several extension cords plugged into a single wall outlet. When the outlet overheated, it ignited carpeting in the home’s bedroom.

The owner was home at the time of the fire but was not inside when the blaze started.

Firefighters responded to the home at approximately 5:45 p.m. to find the rear right corner of the house was fully engulfed.

Simmonsville Road was blocked off until about 8:00 p.m. as fire crews worked to extinguish the fire.

“We have a lot more devices that people keep constantly plugged in using extension cords,” said Fire Chief, Paul Boulware in a press release. “The danger in doing that is it overloads the cord and causes it to overheat, which can ignite a fire as it did in this home.”